Social and political issues related to Singapore and the South East Asia region. A blog which attempts to do so in a non-trivial manner treating opposing views with the respect they deserve.
Contributions are welcomed from all regardless of your political persuasion.

24 May 2005

SINGAPORE, May 23 (Xinhuanet) -- More women in Singapore choose abortion instead of using contraceptives in dealing with unexpected pregnancy, according to Channel NewsAsia report on Monday.

The report quoted the country's Obstetrics and Gynecology Society as saying that over 1,000 tertiary-educated married women went for abortions in 2004, tripling the number of 300 in 1988, while those who are not enough educated tend to use contraceptives.

A study conducted by Singapore National University Hospital showed that about 14,000 pregnancies are terminated every year, accounting for one-fourth of the total.

The report pointed out that a variety of contraceptive options are available in Singapore with easy access, including condoms, pills and intra-uterine devices.

Among them, an implant contraceptive called Implanon is gettingpopular among Singapore women since it came into the local market two years ago.

The report said that fewer than 4,000 women have used Implanon,a plastic device inserted under the skin which can steadily release the hormone etonogestrel into the blood stream to offer three years of pregnancy prevention.

Singapore PM stresses traditional role of family

www.chinaview.cn 2005-02-08 12:34:36

SINGAPORE, Feb. 8 (Xinhuanet) -- Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Tuesday underscored in his Chinese New Year message the important role the traditional extended family has been playing in Singaporeans' lives.

"To be a resilient society, we need strong and close families. Ultimately, helping out relatives who are in need, and bringing upchildren into upright, productive adults, are acts motivated by kinship bonds and emotional ties," Lee said.

He encouraged young couples to have more children as birth figures in the city state have been declining since 1990, which threatens the country's population replacement.

He noted that to keep up with changing circumstances such as the prevailing nuclear families and globalization, the government is taking pro-family measures and strengthening social safety netsto make Singapore a great place for families.

Satisfied with the country's economic performance in the past year, Lee wished all Singaporeans a prosperous Year of the Roosterahead.

I'll give you benefit of doubt since you don't live in Singapore anymore. However, I have to state - the juxtaposition of the former article (on abortion and birth control) and the latter (on declining birth rates) brings about an implication that may not necessarily be true.

The implication: that women are silently rebelling against the patriachal structure by going for abortion while pretending to submit to the patriachal structure by not submitting to birth control.

Having the benefit of a number of female friends in Singapore who have gone for abortions, the anecdotal evidence seems to suggest that the problem is one of getting caught "in the heat of the moment" rather than any oppression of reproductive organs.

This anecdotal evidence is supported by empirical evidence - despite government "encouragement" otherwise, the birth rates of Singapore are -still- falling. Singapore reversed it's two-child policy years ago - and it still hasn't worked.

If you would do your research carefully, Mr McDermott, you will realise that, with regards to abortion, Singapore is incredibly slanted towards -female- rights. Parental consent is not required for an abortion. The opinion of the father in wanting to keep the baby has no legal force - affirmed by the leading case in Singapore on the issue of abortion.

So the birth rate declines, divorce continues to increase, the marriage rate declines, abortion is increasing. My argument is that the the gender role assigned to females under patriarchy in Singapore is being refused.

The emotional care giver role that predominates in the nuclear family is being undermined. Women are choosing to 'reject' the role assigned to them. to a large extent, 'the heat of the moment' is the creation of potential life. If never married single-mothers were allowed to exist maybe there would be less abortions. And possibly fewer babies found in rubbish bins.

The law does accommodate for this choice with reference to abortion. There is a law, but the law is not describing the situation, nor is it explaining.

Here's the question then, Mr McDermott - you've named any number of issues to illustrate patriachy in Singapore. Why use abortion (a weak example) as (1) evidence of patriachy and (2) evidence of women in Singapore casting off patriachy?

You've conceded the point about legal rights on abortion being skewed towards women. I will ask you to further consider this as a possible exception to the general rule that laws shape society in Singapore. To my best knowledge, the historical context of this -very- old piece of legislation was to win women's votes during the early days of independent Singapore. It has not been reversed or amended since.

You -may- be correct insofar as saying that the increasing rates of abortion show that women are casting away their traditional roles as caregivers. However, it -may- also be due to the perceived inability to be the traditional caregiver - a phenomenon you've noted through your observations that patriachy is often in the mind and the inability for single mothers to exist viably in Singapore.

However, by your own arguments, that means that one phenomenon can be explained viably two different and contradictory ways. That makes for weak evidence in a thesis at best, quoting out of context at worst.

Which side do you support, Mr McDermott? You can't have it both ways. :D

To argue that a sociological argument is contravening the 'law of contradiction' again this constant references to 'laws', is the argument levelled at sociology by KArl Popper. In sociology there is another type of logic, referred to as dialectics.

The law of contradiction is associated with positivism, and is more readily applicable to 'science' that operates with in a 'closed system of dependent and independent variables'. The social sciences are operating within an 'open system'.

So the verification of a thesis within the social sciences is not a matter of avoiding the law of contradiction. And if you look at the human/social world around you, you may be able to see a few contradictions in existence.